How many step-up rings are too many?

Z

zm15

Well-known member
The biggest lens i'm using is the 14-140 which has a 62mm filter thread size. I also have 2 other lenses with smaller filter threads - a 20mm panny with 46mm filter thread and a Canon FD 28mm with 49mm filter thread.

Since I will be using at least 1 or 2 step up rings, plus the CPL and LPL filters, should I get bigger CPL and LPL filters to prevent vignetting? Still learning how all these things work!
 
I've read it's good to get a 72mm filter and step it up from there, just not sure i'll ever get a lens that large.
 
I have been there. Figured I'd never get another lens other than the kit lens (14-140). So I originally got a 62mm filter (which was actually 67mm glass). I now own 9 other lenses; two of which are 77mms that a year ago I thought there's no way I'd ever even consider.

Take the advice that you'll see here many times; go large with your filters and use step up rings. I personally would recommend buying 77mm filters or at least 72mm. Could save you money in the long run. It's almost always wise to future-proof.
 
Worth noting that 62 mm filters will probably work on lenses with 77mm threads on M4/3rds with step-down rings without vignetting because of the crop factor...i've done this before.

I am using a 62mm filter and I have two other lenses of EXACTLY those thread sizes the OP mentions and things work great. So I have the 62mm filter, a 49 to 62mm step up ring for one of my lenses, and the 46 to 49 which gets used with the other for the 20mm.
 
I have a number of Canon FD lenses, most of which use either 52mm or 72mm filters. While the smaller Lumix OIS lenses also have 52mm threads, the 14-140mm zoom is 62mm and the 100-300mm lens is 67mm. In addition, my three Olympus lenses use 52mm and 67mm threads. And then there are the vintage manual-focus Konica AR and Minolta MD lenses, which tend to have 55mm threads.

To deal with all this I decided to standardize on two sets of 52mm and 72mm filters, along with a confusing collection of adapter rings from Ebay. For something so apparently simple, filter adapter rings malfunction more often than any other camera component I have ever used. The major hazard in using more than one ring is that they love to lock their razor thin threads together, and nothing short of specialized filter wrenches will pry them apart. In some cases I've resorted to gluing adapter ring combos together, just to insure that they always function as a unit.
 
Ben_B said:
Worth noting that 62 mm filters will probably work on lenses with 77mm threads on M4/3rds with step-down rings without vignetting because of the crop factor...i've done this before.

I am using a 62mm filter and I have two other lenses of EXACTLY those thread sizes the OP mentions and things work great. So I have the 62mm filter, a 49 to 62mm step up ring for one of my lenses, and the 46 to 49 which gets used with the other for the 20mm.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ben, and on the 20mm pancake do you see any vignetting with those step-up up lenses?
 
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